Restoration
by Rejected Royal
Summary: My name is Princess Apple. I am the 10th monarch of the Nasod Kingdom... And all I want it someone like me... Apple x Proto threeshot
1. The Birth of Proto

A.N: I am not dead, sadly, uni started kicking my butt and I had an issue with one of my stories that needed to be removed. A Ring for my What will be reposted soon. I will be posting chapters sparringly as I don't have much time for free writing. There is a sequel to Scheduled Maintenance coming up as well as another chapter for this 3 shot. Such fun.

Nevermind that depression, here is that Eve x Eve story.

Remember, R & R.

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_Restoration_

Chapter One: The Birth of Proto

By: Rejected Royal

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My name is Princess Apple. I am the 10th royal monarch of the Nasod kingdom. Though we have had few rulers, our race is anything but young. We have lived since the first El spark, seen the first El lady come to power, held audiences with the Salvatorian knights, and seen the beginning of the fight for the spark, which pitted brother against brother, Nasod against Mortals…

… which is when my father conceived the idea of me.

How easy would it be to create a nasod that looked exactly like the opposing race, to be able to walk among them, talk among them, create peace with them?

I hated the idea. But it was far too late. By the time I came into existence with full intelligence, I had been given a human complexion. I asked for it to be removed but it was not meant to be. To remove the soft exoskeleton would be to essentially kill me, and no Nasod would dare kill a noble. No matter how much she begged.

I flinch, feeling the soft bristles of my brush like needles in my synthetic hair as Ophelia gently tore through, finding every snarl and knot. I crossed my arms and sat all the way back in my chair, feeling petulant and looked into the mirror. Was this how they judged beauty? I looked up into my cherry wood framed mirror and, not for the first time, judged myself. On the inside, I knew I was the same as my people, however, that wasn't complacent for me. My exoskeleton, what humans called "skin", was soft, smooth, stretched around metal pounded curves that humans so loved. My eyes betrayed the human look. In my rebellion, I forsook the normal colors of human eyes and had them replaced with cherry red. My hair took my eye color, making it a light pink tone. I sighed, feeling the air leave though engineered lips, feeling the weight of the world placed on my shoulders.

I feel the brush leave my hair and see Ophelia place her face next to mine, feeling a bit of remorse for her and Oberon. They were shaped to be similar to mine in order to make me feel similar, but they didn't have the soft skin like I did. They had beautiful pounded naked metal, lights for eyes, bolts holding her together. Yes, I was jealous of my handmaid, at least she looked like a nasod. I sighed again and looked away from her.

"My princess…"

I turn around to see Charon, standing on the opposite side of the room nearest my bed, his arms crossed and looking at me. "Are you alright?"

I look down to my lap, remaining silent, before saying, "Do I look normal?"

I feel both of their eyes on me, evaluation the question, before Oberon spoke up, "What do you mean, normal?"

I quickly stand up. "You know, I don't look like a Nasod. I feel like I'm not even a part of my own kind…" I walk over to Oberon, past a large pane window and look into his glass visor, "How can I claim to be a ruler of my kind, when I don't even look like them!"

"Don't even fathom that idea, Princess."

I turn to see Ophelia walking to me, "You are smarted then any Nasod conceived. You have the knowledge of your father, the beauty of a human. You are perfect as –"

A knock on the door startles me. Charon walked over to the door quickly and a small metal Nasod came into the room, "My lady, your father, the King, wishes to see you." He bowed quickly.

Both Charon and Ophelia bowed low as I walked out with the Nasod, out my large metal door and down a short hallway before the nasod servant bowed lowed to me and I entered the throne room.

The throne room was one of beauty, glass floors with data lines flowing toward the center of the room, where my Father resided. The minute I stepped onto the glass floor, my father knew I was here.

"There is my dear Apple," His loud booming voice echoed through my ears, and once again I was reminded of my fragile human figure. He couldn't upload data to me like he could to others; all I had was a small port in my ears where my drones, Moby and Remy, could recharge me if necessary. "How are you doing?"

"I am well, Father," I hear a sort of chuckle from him, "I had a bit of an issue but everything is well now"

He brought down his hand, where I quickly climbed up and allowed him to set me on his shoulder. "Now, now, my Apple, I know you better than that. You might be smarter then me, but I can still read you like a book"

I sighed, "I just… why are there none like me"

He was silent except for the power cords running powers, "You are to be a queen, my little Apple, and as such, are held to a higher standard and you will be part of a treaty with the humans..."

"But Father, I would like to have a companion, someone I could be friends with, that could look like me…" I sighed and leaned against his neck, feeling the power from him emanating into me, "I just want a friend…"

"How would you like to create something, my dear?"

I instantly perk up. "You mean –" I try to lean forward and look at my father's face.

I feel another rumble under me, "Yes, if you are lonely, go create a Nasod like you. It should be good practice for later on."

I smile. "Thank you Father, I'll –

"One moment, my little Apple"

I keep quiet, but inwardly I can't control myself. I can create a Nasod, with the same looks as me! Only a reigning royal can create another higher thinking nasod, but for my father to give me permission is such a joy, no, a miracle –

"You will head the battle drone project as a means of creating your Nasod."

Say what?

"There is an ancient code of a legendary warrior race that showed much potential, " Her father started, bring his hand toward me, signaling me to get on again, "that was later destroyed due to its sheer power. It was a dark time, and the three warriors brought much shame to our kind." He brought me infront of his face. "However, I think you can solve this code flaws, my dear. "

I smiled, "You really think I can?"

A slight nod, "I can think of no one better."

I looked down for a second, debating my options. Unleash a new code? One that hadn't been used in eons? I had to, essentially, create a new code. Recoding from ancient text was not easy. Only a noble could do it. He thought I could do it, but did I? I looked in my father's eyes before standing up on his hand and curtsying, a human sign of etiquette, "I thank you, my father, and I shall start as soon as possible."

"Very well." The hand traveled back down and I landed gracefully on the middle glass panel in the center of the throne room. "All extra rolls of the synthetic skin and preformance data will be sent to the lower quarters at your request. Any other extra parts for the warrior code must be found from your own. Do well my daughter. "

I smiled and nodded, "I will not let you down."

* * *

"Errg!" I slam my hands into the aluminum desk, scattering disks and wires onto the floor, and nearly screamed in fustration.

A week. I had designed the nasod in a day, acquired the data in a month, and had already made the mold and her primary weapons. The model translation on the data was simple, designing it was easy, and getting my hands on the materials needed was child's play. The internal code, however, was a different story. All my data kept showing that it would show nothing but destruction.

The construction was easy - a nasod knows how itself is created. But I had to follow the ancient text on how the old warriors worked, how they created weapons of mass destructions with so much as just a thought. Guns, electron balls, whips, and chain – all created and destroyed on a whim. It was said in the old data that the warriors used specialized enhancements to improve their own power. It was said that standing in their presence was a hazard. But, the code was faulty, their emotions were overlooked, and they started killing without a second thought.

I had to give it a conscience, somehow. I started typing in new options, running tests to see if the emotion chip would give some help to the code.

Another flash on the screen showed an "unknown result" as its answer. I bite my lip from screaming out and lean back into my chair.

I look over my shoulder to see my creation, floating in a tank, wires connected to her major outports: head, chest, arms, legs, and lower area. It was kinda weird, seeing a creation similar to myself in such a state. Well, there were two major differences. Her hair was unlike my pink, keeping a long pure white version, and her body was a bit thinner. I stared at her nude form, wondering if my father looked at me like this when I was first created, wondering if he was doing the right thing. I look on the left of the tank to see two drones, quite like mine, retrieving data from the sleeping robot.

I look back to the code, running a manicured hand through my head. It shouldn't be this hard. Maybe…

A knock on the metal door startles me, "My Queen?"

I sigh, slightly admiring my guard's determination. "I told you I'm busy, Charon, I'll be out later." I stood up to start cleaning some of the papers and wirers from around my workstation.

Apparently, he wouldn't take no for an answer, "It is time to take a break, your highness. It is quite late."

Again? He was persistant, "I want to finish this code. I'm close, I can feel it."

"You Highness, I must insist –"

"No!" I yelled again, slamming my hands on the desk, "I will finish this! This should not be this hard!"

A beeping noise started echoing throughout the room. I freeze and look toward the screen. "Code Download in Progress" was displayed on the screen.

"Shit!" I grab my chair and quickly try to terminate the process, but the download has already started. To end it now meant I had to restart the process of creation yet again…

… I couldn't do that.

Call me selfish, call me the pampered princess, but I wanted a friend. If father found out I destroyed the first one due to a code malfunction, I might not get another chance, no, I wouldn't get another chance. Father would claim that the code would be unstable and would lock the data back away. Everything had turned out seamless, the lithe body structure, the nanoparticles capable of mass construction from just a single command, down to the drone weapons capable of charging from remote areas, similar to my own. I treated my creation better than I wanted to be treated.

I attempted to reroute the power, tried to limit the code – anything and everything that might help me save my creation. I was so absorbed into my work that I barely registered the pounding on the door and my faithful guard screaming my name.

"Critical level arriving. Code Unstable."

I listen to the computer yell off times til final download, hearing the word "unstable", "critical", and "error" in the background, fearing the worst. I finally realized that it was too late and looked for a place to hide, quickly sliding under a solid steel table. My hands cupped over my neck before I placed my head in my lap, listening to the numbers near one hundred percent.

"Error, Error, Erro –"

A loud eruption blared in my ears and a light peaked through the corner of my eyes. The wild energy pulsed all around me, tearing into everything and everything. Glass shattered, metal decimated- all echoed in my ears but none of that mattered. All I could think about was if I was going to make it out alive…

… and would my creation survive.

Only a minute later, I turned my head out from under the table and felt something akin to heartbreak.

There, in the center of the blast, was my beautiful creation, still and pale, her bare back lying against what was left of the glass tank she was kept in. Wires were cut in random areas and decorated her pale, scarred skin. The two drones? They lay next to her like fallen soldiers, small wires coming out of their under area. The sight was too heartbreaking, too devastating to my only dream. I briefly heard Charon screaming, slamming into the door in an effort to reach me, but I paid no mind. I slowly left my hiding place, clearing out the metal and glass scattered around and walked over to where the failed project was before bending down to looking over the scars.

I did a once over. It was mostly surface damage that could be repaired in no time, but what was horrifying was the frayed strands of wire that the code was delivered in. They were near irreplaceable – it was used in my creation and no on else. It would take years to repair. I look again to my creation, her unmoving chest, the water dripping from her hair…

Suddenly, eyes red as blood snapped open and started at me, "Intruder."

I couldn't respond fast enough before the nasod threw me to the back metal wall, pinning me on the wall by my elbows, preventing me from moving. She stood unmoving, her upper arms like bars on my shoulders, her face just millimeters from mine.

My breath came out in pants as the other nasod studied my features. She stared at my face, my ears, my forehead, before looking downwards. I looked at her and couldn't keep the smile from coming to my face.

I did it

I created a nasod.

"Why do you look like me?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see the other nasod look at me, "Why do you look like me? My data tells me that you are not one of my code, so you do not belong."

Oh shit. "No no no – " I started, a little too fast for my own good for she narrowed her eyes at me, " I created you with that code. You just awoke. See? Over there are your weapons. "

Her grip tightened, "How can I believe you?" She narrowed her eyes at me.

I gulped, "I do look like you."

She had to believe me as she lessened her grip on my shoulders, allow some relief of pressure but still keeping me there, "Then who am I? What is my directive?"

Oh shoot, a name! I should've thought of one earlier. What was the major part of that code again? Proto something or other… "Proto, you will be fine. Just relax and let me down."

She remained silent for a second that I feared the code crashed. I opened my mouth to caller her makeshift name before she started to fall down. I tried quickly to grab her and prevent her from falling. I succeeded partly – boy was I this heavy too? – and tried to pull her to smooth ground. A bang caught my attention as Charon bolted into the room.

"My lady –"

"Charon, please help me get Proto to my room," I interrupt, looking down to my creation. He seemed to finally notice the nasod in my lap and nearly gasped, "I shall follow behind to see if her drones cannot be fixed."

"Yes, my lady," He bowed before picking up the new creature with the utmost care. I watched as he carried it gently out of the room.

I couldn't help but smile. I did it. Even though I destroyed a lab in the process and scared my guard, I managed to create. I succeeded in creating a new creature, with whom I could spend time with, teach, and feel similar too…

One day at a time, Apple, one day at a time…

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Once again, R&R. Your reviews make this hobby of mine worth it.

**_Edited_**_** from 2827 to 2900 words.**_

-RR


	2. The Life of Proto

A/N: Look at this, having a class canceled and three hours between current classes pays off. Anywho, here is part two of _Restoration, _and it's quite a squealer. If you looked at my profile, you'll notice that this could possibly be Yuri or friendship. After much debate, I allowed a bit of Yuri to seep in. VERY little. Part three will not come out for a while due to the mass amount of homework I do have (forgot my book, he he…) and if I get some reviewers for this, I'll make an epilogue to this. Also, chapter one has been proofread and been edited. Not much has changed, a little more detail for you all. Also, my one lemon will be reposted as soon as I get home.

Enjoy!

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_Restoration_

By: Rejected Royal

Chapter 2: The Life of Proto

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"Proto! No!"

I quickly run from my spot at the edge of the kitchen and grab the bottle of motor oil from her hands, successfully stopping her from putting it on salad. "That's not right,Proto."

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "I do not understand, Big Sis Apple. You said oil –"

"Not motor oil," I sigh, grabbing a bottle of clear yellow oil, silently praising the fact that she calling me sister. "This one."

This was becoming commonplace. She had only been coherent about four days, the explosion less than a week ago. After the explosion, Charon moved her to my quarters, where I kept careful watch on her vitals and memory activity. A day later, she awoke. The code did leave a small error to it from the explosion – her memory circuit was damage, not beyond repair, but enough to wipe clear her memory bank. I wanted to bring it back with an upload, but the code was very tough to insert in her memory bank. Instead, I allowed her access to book and daily life. It seemed every second of everyday she was asking questions: who, what, when, where, why. If she wasn't told the answer or couldn't figure it out for herself, she would tamper with it till she found its purpose or it broke. She was just like a little kitten. Pretty, but got into everything. Wherever I went, Proto went.

And she wasn't complaining, rather, she wouldn't let anyone else near her. When Ophelia tried to get near her to brush her hair, an aura appeared around her and her eyes flashed in warning. I quickly walked near to calm her, her aura dissolved and she let me sit next to her and take a brush to her hair. It was magnificent, seeing her battle commands spark and dissolve with her emotions.

Father even had the change of witnessing my creation from afar. A day after she awoke I took her to the throne room, dressed in a black and pink dress that was similar to the original attire of the Nemesis warriors, and had her greet him. I was so tense, awaiting his critique on my work. Before father could say anything, Proto spoke up, "You are quite large. Are you the creator of Big Sis Apple?"

The room was dead silent before he nodded, "That I am."

Proto nodded, "So do I call you Apple's creator or Big Sis to Big Sis?' I couldn't help the laugh out of my mouth. Proto turned quickly to me as if in fear of my malfunction, but I quickly righted myself.

"That's not my Big Sis, Proto," I looked up to my father, "He is my creator, but he is the King Nasod, ruler of the Nasod Kingdom."

"But you told me to call you 'Big Sis' since you are my creator, does that not give your creator the same title?"

"No, I ask you to call me that because we are similar, and father has a greater title then creator. He is the king."

"So then I should call you little King."

"I am not little!"

A loud laugh echoed though the throne room, startling Proto and I. "Well, my dearest Apple, looks like you have your work cut out for you." He laughed again and I couldn't help but join in the laughter. Proto just stood there with a confused look on her face.

"What is that sound?"

Ever since then, my father has given me high blessing and helped Proto with any data she might need. Letting her see the beginnings of the nasod race, seeing the power of the el shards, all but one – the beginning and termination of the old Nemesis code. It was far too risky, and I understood why. I didn't want the fragile code to snap, I wanted some stabilization before anything too dramatic. Seeing her original code was out of the question.

Today, however, we would be seeing how well she could access her weapons at any time. Her drones were being fitted with a special costume in order to prevent any damage and would be able to follow her after the trial today. Not only that, but Proto was quickly fitted with a streamlined version of the Nasod Battle suit used for current warriors. She looked absolutely beautiful in her pink and white suit and wings. But training could wait…

First, lunch.

"Why do humans have to eat? Cannot they acquire energy from the sun like some Nasods do?" Proto asked me when we sat down with our salads. "And why do we have to eat? Are we not a form of nasods?"

I chuckled, "Humans lack the cell structure to make light into energy, and thus they must convert another way. That way is though eating. Though we are nasods, our structures are similar to humans. We can eat nearly anything, and our systems will convert it to food." I smile at her and slowly take a bit of my salad, make sure she watches me take a bite.

Proto looked at me then at the salad before picking up the fork and gently stabbing a leaf. She looks at it hesitantly before putting it in her mouth, "This substance tastes like dirt." She stated, glaring at the bowl.

"That's because it grows in the ground." I take another bite.

One of Proto's eyebrows raise, "You are serious?"

"Dead serious."

Proto's eyes widened, "Dead serious. Sounds painful."

I laugh again, "Come on, Proto, eat and we'll go to the training room. After that, we'll spend some time in the library."

She sighs, "Agreed, but I do not want to eat all of this food. It doesn't taste well."

After some time eating, and more about the growth cycle of plants, we started walking to the other side of the castle, where the training room would be. Few servants would be out cleaning and evaluating the power cords, but we would get though with few distractions. Unless I introduced Proto to them, she usually stayed behind me, trying to keep out of view of any other person. To think that the same code within her was one of a warrior race capable of mass destruction, it didn't make sense. She should be walking with confidence, not keeping behind me.

Was this a result of my tampering? Or the explosion? Maybe the emotion circuit had harmed her instead of helped her.

We reached the training room with little distractions – a scouter thought he was seeing double and nearly ran into a wall – and I introduced Proto to her drones. At first I was cautious, seeing as she was afraid of any other nasod getting close to her, but she greeted them like long lost friends, hugging them and checking for any unknown damage. The drones just whirred and embraced her as best as they could.

"Alright. Proto, you ready?"

She paid little attention to me and nodded, a smile blooming on her face. I felt an unknown sensation flash though me, but I paid no mind to it. I walked to the second level and closed the hatch doors. The machine quickly turned on and I turned on the speaker before speaking. "Alright Proto, we're going to see how your weapons work. You just try to defeat the pop up enemies as quick as possible."

"Affirmative." I watched her straighten her back and yawn, her drones closing up the charging station.

I pressed start.

Suddenly two disks shot out from the left and right of her, right next to her head.

She stepped forward. The metal dust aura flared out, destroying the metal disks in mere seconds.

A metal dummy shot up into the sky and aimed down at her. I held my breath. The metal dust aura would hurt it, but not stop. I looked to proto and all I saw was a smirk. She pulled her hand back and thousand of nanoparticles flew out of her hand to quickly form the shape of a large machine gun, which she rapidly fired then dissolved, bring the nanoparticles back into her hand.

It was incredible.

An explosion whip, a missile launcher, swords from the sky, and piercing spikes from the ground – each one summoned on a whim and destroyed before it could hit the ground. It was beautiful. I quickly decided to test the code's main function and sent six enemies at her at once.

She noticed the attack within mere seconds of them enclosing her, and she didn't move. Instead, the particles surrounded her and created a second aura around her, shredding the mock enemies around her with ease.

This, this was the feared attack – Queen's throne.

She kept her metal dust around her, but it didn't make her less beautiful. Black spiked wings rose above her head as a beacon for the particles around her, seeking out anything that would harm their host. Thrusters appeared at the bottom of the spike, alerting me to the fact that she could fly.

But with such destruction qualities, who would need to?

"Proto, power down now. The test is over." I alerted on speaker. She looked over to me and nodded. I opened the hatch to see Proto, deep breathing and allowing her weapons to enter her body once more."

After a few minutes and once I was sure her weapons were properly stored, I walked over to her."That was amazing, Proto." I pat her on the back, "You did very well."

She looked over at me then down to the ground, "I hurt the dummies."

I peered around the room and nearly gasped. Around the outskirts, a few large remains were seen, nothing bigger then a scout, but near the center, it was all fine dust.

I knew that the code was dangerous, just not this powerful.

What had I created?

"Big Sis?"

I snapped out of my thoughts to see Proto staring up at me, "Can we go to the Library now?"

* * *

As soon as we reached the library after cleaning up the training area, I let Proto run off, which she gladly accepted, disappearing in seconds. I stood there for a second, before walking in a different direction, to the research section, looking for a second hand history of the Nemesis code.

The library wasn't my all means new. Old books were brought here more for preservation then for reading. However, due to my creation, it was modified so that I could study in it. Wood book cases were filled to the brim with books, each shelving unit 20 shelves high. Only the middle and the west end had appropriate areas to take out books and read them, but chairs were scattered all around.

"Let's see… No, no, no…" I quickly browse thought the books of old, trying to find something, but strangely they were all missing. I look in history books, I look in data codes, I even try accessing the main dataframe… nothing about the Nemesis code.

I sit back in one of the chairs, enjoying the red fluffy cushion, and ran my hand thought my hair, feeling overly stressed. This shouldn't be this hard.

Unless… my father did order them gone so proto wouldn't see them. Would he even deny the city to hear about it?

"Big Sis!"

I hear Proto's voice from a distance away, probably from the other side of the library. I smiled and started walking though the shelves to her. Another question to ask me, probably.

I arrived to the west end of the library, Seeing a stack of five books near Proto and her face buried into the text nearly made me breaking out in laughter. She looked up to me and asked.

"What is a kiss?"

I blink, stunned for a second, before asking, "A what?"

"A kiss." She pulls up the book and reads,"' I will grace your lips, fair Madame, with a kiss of grace. If only you allow me to taste of you." She looks up to me again and asks, "What is a kiss?"

I become stumped. I didn't really know what that was. "Well, I believe it has to do with the lips, Proto. And since he is talking to another person, it must involve two lips."

Proto didn't like the answer of that, it seemed, for I watched her scurry through the book again, looking for anything that might be of some help to her question. I take a seat next to her, watching her quickly read the text over and over again to find some answer. She grabs another book moments later and quickly looks through that, her face scrunched up in concentration. A few seconds later, it joins the quickly gathering group of unhelpful books.

"Errg," Proto slams her hand on the desk, nearly putting a dent into it, "It can't be that confusing…"

I place my hand on her elbow and get her back to one of the chairs before pulling mine right next to her, "Well, this is where we can use logic." I see her look at me from the side of her eyes, "If there are two lips, perhaps they should be touching."

Proto looks at me as if I grew a third eye, "You think so?"

"Well, logically, it has to be."

She was silent for a moment before saying, "Can I kiss you?"

My eyes open a little wider and I feel a small blush. Does my body know what a kiss is? "Me?"

Proto looks into my eyes, calculating, "Yes, but only if you want to."

I bite my lip for a second. Would it be so bad? And we were only seeing the results of such a thing. "Sure,"

Proto smiles and leans forward, allowing our lips to nearly touch, "Ready?" She brings a hand near my cheek and gently caresses it, fleeting touching my ear.

Something is going on. My nerves are centered onto my cheek, and she feels… so soft. Like she didn't an hour prior destroy all those training decoys to a pulp. It was scary and exhilarating. Like that first charge when you are brought to life. Proto made no move toward me though; she was waiting for my command. She would never hurt me…

… and I could never hurt her.

"Yes."

Proto leaned forward, letting our lips touch. Instantly, a charge ran though my body, starting from my lips, down through my core, into my toes and back up to my head. It was amazing, like being restarted and reborn again. I couldn't help but think that is this is what kissing was, the humans were a lot farther along than we were. I brought a hand up to the back of Proto's neck and pulled her closer. It only served to send another charge though me, this time, like fire though my veins, warming me and keeping me safe.

What felt like hours later, we drew apart, the only sound in the library was our deep breathing. In all that time, we had forgotten the basic human function of breathing.

I didn't regret it.

"So," Proto said a few seconds later, "That is what a kiss feels like." All I could was nod. I hear a soft noise coming from Proto, and I look up to see her smiling, the sound of light laughter coming from her. "I'm so happy. Thank you for that, Big Sis."

I smile at her, "Not a problem, little sis." Her smile gets wider.

"Princess Apple!"

We turn to see Ophelia coming toward us, her face straight as always, "You are being requested in the throne room. Your father wishes to speak with you."

"Oh? Whatever for?"

"He didn't specify."

That's odd. "Alright, I shall be there soon." She bowed before walking off.

I looked over to Proto, "You can get to my room, right?" She nodded, "Good, please put all these books away, and then meet me in my room. I'll go see what my father needs."

"Alright," Proto stood up," and Big Sis?"

I turn toward her only to have her place her lips quickly on my cheek, "Thank you again."

I blushed, "Thank you Proto," _For being my friend._

* * *

"You asked to see me, father?" I enter the throne room, curtsying and making my way to the center of the room.

"Apple, do you know anything about the metal dust in the training room?"

Uh oh. "Yes, that was residue from one of proto's attack." I take a seat down in the center of the throne room.

"There where are the training decoys?"

I gulped, "Destroyed, father."

A silence permeated the room, no sound was heard, no power was coursing around in my ear. I had never felt human before, but, due to Proto's coming into my life, I had become more in tuned to my human side. It was astounding how attached I became to her in such a short time. She was a new part of my life that I couldn't believe I lived without.

"Proto will be put into the local guard."

"What?! No!" I protest, "She is my friend. My creation. I should be able to keep her."

"She is a danger to you, Apple." The king retorted, "The code was dangerous back then. I fear for your safety."

"No,no!" I stood up and stared up into my father's eyes, "You cannot do this father."

The whir of gears sounded in my ear, alerting me to the data being processed in my father's head. " She is my creation and I merely wanted to test her capabilities as a fighter. She will be another guard for me, just like Charon and Ophelia."

"The code is unstable. The ancient text deemed it so due to a circuit relay. I trust that you have fixed it but I can't take any chances. She will be put in to a cryo –"

"NO! Proto is mine, and you cannot take her away from me!" I ran away from the throne room, ignoring my father's calls for me, and ran into my room, where I saw Proto sitting on my bed, looking out my window where the sun had started setting. She quickly turned to me and noticed my distress. She attempted to get up but I wouldn't let her. I quickly ran to her and hugged her, nearly plowing her onto my bed.

"Big Sis! Apple! Are you alright?" I saw her look over my body for harm, trying to calm me the same way I did to her. I just held her tighter.

"Father thinks you're a danger." I said in a monotone voice. "He wants you down in the army quadrant where you'd be in a cryo tank till you are needed in a war."

She remained silent, still like the soldier she was. I felt bad, that was her place, and she would be great there. But I wanted her to stay, she was only my creation. All I wanted was a friend, and she was the perfect person. Forget the chance of recreating a new person. She was mine, now and forever.

"Sister, I don't want to go."

I look up to Proto, "I want to stay with Big Sister." Her eyes were watering and the setting sun painting her pale skin a beautiful pink. "Proto, remember when you asked if you kiss me?"

She looked into my eyes and nodded.

I smiled, my eyes starting to water, "May I?"

There were no more words. We both met each other in a human kiss. I pulled Proto to me, causing her to come closer and me to find my way under her. I cupped the back of her neck, pulling her lips closer to mine and she gasped, causing my tongue to accidently swipe into her mouth. I moan and pull her on top of me. She braced herself with her elbows on either side of my head and wove her hands in her my hair.

She was sweet. Overly sweet. In that moment, I had never felt so… mortal. The one thing I hated made me closer to this beautiful creature. It was sheer brilliance. I saw every one of my flaws and every one of my perfections.

Too soon, we pulled apart. Proto leaned down, placing her head on my chest, trying to regulate her breathing just like me. "Will you tell me a story, Big Sis?" She suddenly spoke.

I searched my memory for a story she would like, a story of long ago, a story of people just like her "How about the story of the Arena?"

I felt her nod against my chest before wrapping her arms around my torso. "Long ago, there was an Arena, where all the great warriors fought. People fought against others to prove their worth and ranks for great rewards. Legend says that the Arena still happens with the Epics reigning supreme. Two great mages, one of a dark path and one of the noble knights of the city of Velder; Two half-nasod men, one with a curse of darkness the other a curse of blood; Two swordsmen, a teacher and a soldier; and two archers, a healer and a seeker, grace the arena today, or so they say. "

"A half nasod man?"

I gently patted her hair down, "Yes, it is said that the great Eden made a pack of blood to prevent him from losing his mind to the great demon sword. While Valak allowed his cursed nasod arm to take control of his body and mind."

She kept silent."And what about us? Are there any full Nasods in the Arena."

I chucked, "Well, I don't know… It's been a while since I've heard about the arena." I wrap my arms around her shoulders, "Maybe you can be the first."

She looked up to me, "You think so?"

"Sounds like you. Proto, Queen of the Arena."

I heard a giggle leave her mouth. "I like that."

I smiled down at her, "Then sleep, my Proto, and dream of your time as a queen."

She nestled into me again, "So long as you're with me… It will be a dream come true…"

Oh, if only it could last that long…

* * *

Once again. R&R to keep my hobby going.

-RejectedRoyal


End file.
